General Medical Question - Urgent - Why aren't the sutures working?

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I know this is a stupid question, especially considering i have had such an extensive education in medicine, but i cut myself almost 2 weeks ago requiring 20 stitches on the outside and 18 on the inside. when i went to my gp to have them removed after the suggested 10 days he was unable to do it because as he began removing sutures the wound began gaping open again, so he re-stiched it and asked me to come back a few days later. im just wondering why the sutures are not working. i have worked in hospitals many years in many diffrent departments, but i have yet to see a situation such as this. could th eproblem be due to the extreme nature of this, or fact that some of the lacerations are over 2 and 3 xs healed over scars, or both? Im just wondering. i also want to know if when i go back tomorrow and they re-try to remove them, if they are once again unable to what will happen? How long can you safly have sutures before infection sets in, my body is already rejecting them as a foriegn body, thus making the area around the sutures very red and tender. the doctor said this would happen, i knew to an extent it would also. my arm never hurt, except when the sutures were placed, and now it is killing me. i also hav every little feeling in the exact area and i have a hard time flexing my arm. i dare not say th eexact location since im not sure if that is tip sharing or what? plus i have no idea how to pm to get more precise information or to give it. thank you for help.

[Aidee]

There are several reasons I can think of off the top of my head why sutures wouldn't work. Some medical conditions such as diabetes cause slow healing, or your immune system could be repressed and not reacting quickly. The sutures may not have been applies correctly, and the edges of the wound weren't held together well enough to bond. Prior damage to the area could be preventing it from healing fully, or your body's reaction to the stitches could be preventing it from healing.

If they are unable to remove them again, they may add more, or try a different method of closing the wound. They may also run some blood tests to see if they can determine why it is taking so long to heal.

Since you are already going back to the doctors tomorrow, I suggest you don't do anything until then unless you start to develop red lines running from the wound, or the pain becomes unbearable. If either of those happen, go to the A&E right away.

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okay i just got back from the doc and he took the rest of the sutures out and applied stri-strips. he also is testing me for diabetes. as he removed the sutures the wounds began to gap pretty badly, right down to the internal sutures, but he said if we put anymore sutures in or left these any longer i would definantly develop a severe reaction to them and most likely a severe infection. you are right about my immune system being comprimised, i have recently been on steroids and they have suppressed it greatly. thank you for your help.